Take Me Home
by erebororbust
Summary: Pidge's injuries were extensive. The Galra are a brutal species, Matt knew. He only hoped he could save her before it was too late. But it was going to be a long ride... H/C, sibling fluff/whump/angst. No pairings.
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: Hello, all! I'm here today with my very FIRST official story on ! I'm so excited! :D**

 **Anyway, here are the facts you need to know for this: One, it's set in season three, after 'Black Site', but before 'The Voltron Show!'. Two, everything is exactly the same except for ONE thing. When Shiro returned, we got the REAL Shiro and not Kuron. Like, seriously, you cannot tell me that it wasn't a clone. With all the subtle stuff in season five, there's no doubting it.**

 **There are no pairings in this story. Anything and everything is going to be purely platonic.**

 **The rating is for violence and some past torture, nothing more. I don't go past that. no icky stuff in my stories. I also don't do language.**

 **And, finally, I will say that unfortunately, I don't own Voltron. Trust me, if I did, there'd be enough Pidge, Matt, and Shiro fluff to choke Zarkon with. XD**

 **Anyway, no more delays! Let's get this intergalactic show on the road!**

* * *

The halls blurred together as he ran, but it didn't really matter to him because Matthew Holt had only one thing on his mind and that was rescuing his sister. Lance was not far behind him, his weapon ready and his shield raised. Shiro's voice was guiding him through the earpiece he had been given.

Matt was all business when it came to Pidge's protection, and he wasn't going to let that change now or ever.

 _"_ _You're almost there. Lance, watch his back and guard the way out. Matt, you're about to come to two doors. Take the one on your left. There are a lot of drones at both of them. Keep your weapons ready."_

"Copy that," Lance replied, and Matt nodded slightly even though he knew Shiro couldn't see him. His mind was racing; what had become of his sister? To say that the Galra was a friendly species was far from the truth. The Galra were brutal and let nothing stand in their way, and if that meant killing a fifteen-year-old girl to reach their goal…

Matt mentally slapped himself. He couldn't be thinking like that; he needed to stay focused for Pidge's sake. For all he knew her life could be dangling from a thread, or she could already be gone- no! No, no, no. Stop it. Focus.

He rounded a corner and sure enough, there were two doors, and six Galra drones were standing guard. Two almost immediately started firing. Matt ducked and launched himself at them, narrowly dodging a blast before tackling the machines and practically beating the two senseless. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Lance take down another two with his Bayard, and dodged a blow from one of the remaining drones. In quick succession Lance also shot the last two, leaving a pile of sparking robotic parts.

Matt felt no remorse for the damage. The Galra had taken countless lives, and this was one of the many victories that the Voltron team would be taking. Well, it would be a victory once Matt had his sister safely back in the Green Lion.

Grim determination set in his features, Matt turned to the door on his left. There was a panel on the wall, meant for identification of fingerprints. Matt frowned.

"Shiro?"

 _"_ _Fry it."_

Matt turned to Lance, who stepped forward and fired a powerful blast at the panel, exploding it and sending sparks flying. Moving to the door, Matt pried the doors open.

There was a long hallway on the inside, cells lining both walls. The walls and floor were all an odd, almost purple sort of metal or stone. But it was a wave of _heat_ that momentarily stunned Matt, sending him stumbling for a few precarious seconds. Lance felt the heat too and recoiled.

"Shiro… it's bad down here. Really, really bad."

The other end of the com was silent for a few seconds, before Shiro answered, quiet with barely controlled fury obvious in his tone.

 _"_ _What kind of bad?"_

Lance swallowed nervously. "We just opened the door and it feels like an oven in there. If Pidge has heatstroke…" The last few words came out shakily. Matt winced, feeling as though he had been struck. No, Pidge was _not_ going to die. Heck knows that if she did, nothing would stop Matt from tearing apart the entire Galra empire by himself.

Shiro's voice was tight and strained over the com. _"Get in there, now. We need Pidge out of here ASAP and you've got a group of drones heading straight for you. There aren't too many, but where there are some there are bound to be more."_

"On it. Lance, cover me." Lance nodded and barred the doorway as Matt stepped inside, raising his shield and holding his gun ready.

The air was humid and dry, but at the same time sticky. Matt felt dread tugging at him even though he desperately tried to shrug it off.

Quickly, one by one he passed the cells. They were all empty, and the dread grew heavier and heavier. Matt soon stopped and felt panic washing over him. "Shiro, they're all empty. I don't… I don't think…"

 _"_ _She's there, Matt. Green is practically screaming in my head and that means she's there and she's alive."_

Matt took a breath and nodded. "Acknowledged." He began walking again, his posture stiff and his stride brisk. This was it. This was the fateful moment. He was there, and now it was up to him to determine his sister's fate. The gravity of the situation felt like the world was weighing on Matt's shoulders.

The next four cells were empty. It seemed like an eternity but Matt knew it was only seconds when he finally reached the end of the hall.

The cell to his left was devoid of life. The right, however…

Matt's breath caught in his throat but somehow a strangled cry still escaped.

Shiro's voice crackled through the com. _"Matt? Matt, what's her condition? Matt!"_

He didn't answer. He stood staring into the cell, and the memory of it would haunt him for weeks to come.

The floor of the right cell was stained with what was all too familiar as blood, some stains old and some frighteningly new. But that was not what made Matt's heart lurch and drop into his boots. It was the sight of his little sister, bloodied and broken in the cell.

Pidge was wearing only the ragged garments the Galra had given her, custom for all of the prisoners. Her skin was sickly white but her face was flushed, a fine sheen of sweat coating her forehead and soaking into her hair. There were bruises under both of her eyes and burns on her chin, as well as angry red marks on both sides of her neck. Her right arm and shoulder were in odd positions, twisted in such a manner that was clearly not of the norm. There were cuts crisscrossing around her abdomen, the fabric around them torn and caked with dried blood.

Matt felt bile rising in his throat and he swallowed it down. He was shaking, hands trembling and legs quaking in what he couldn't decipher as anger or fear or worry.

With swift but destructive movements Matt broke the cell door down. He paid it no heed as he lurched inside, instead letting his staff fall to the ground as he kneeled beside Pidge.

Tears blurred his vision as he reached out to his sister, and he let them fall without objection. His hand rested on her mangled right shoulder, but he quickly withdrew it as Pidge let out a soft whimper at the sudden contact.

Guilt gnawed at him and he bitterly chided himself. He crawled around to her other side, before reaching out to her. At the touch Pidge moaned and lurched, only seeming to cause her more pain as she cried out. Matt panicked but he could only sit there, watching helplessly as his sister's thrashing quickly dissipated and she lay there, her breathing labored. Mindfully aware and careful of her right side, Matt gathered her in his arms and held her to his chest.

He could feel the tremors in her figure, could feel her erratic and uneven heartbeats. The heat was pressing down on both of them, but more especially on Pidge. Heat was radiating off of her and Matt knew that she had a fever and it was dangerously spiking. He had to get her out of there.

Numbly, Matt half registered the sound of muffled yells and blasts coming from the other end of the earpiece. After a moment it stopped, and everything was quiet again.

Shiro's voice split through the grave silence and filled the com.

 _"_ _Matt, what is her condition? Do you have her?"_

"I- I have her. She's injured, badly. She needs attention as soon as possible." Matt's voice was hoarse and shaky.

 _"_ _You have to get out of there, now. The castle is holding on for dear life and Hunk and Allura are getting swarmed-"_ A muffled crash sounded on the other line and a distant alarm rang.

Matt's eyes widened. "Shiro? Shiro!"

 _"_ _Get out of there! We can't hold them off for much longer; get to the Lions!"_

"Moving now," Matt said, tension building. Balancing on the balls of his feet, he grabbed his staff while still securely holding Pidge to his chest with his right arm. Adrenaline rushed through him and he broke into a sprint down the hallway.

Lance stood guard at the door, and at the sound of approaching footsteps, he turned in anticipation. Relief washed over his face but was doused by the horror that speedily set in.

Matt came to a stop at the door, his body rigid. Lance gaped at the bundle in his arms, his eyes holding a variety of emotions.

"Oh my gosh, is she-?"

Matt shook his head. "We need to leave right now before we get caught-"

And that was the moment when a large squad of drones came bursting forth from an opposite corridor, weapons blazing.

Lance activated his shield and immediately threw himself in front of Matt and Pidge, firing his gun with his other hand and taking down three drones.

Matt clutched Pidge more tightly to his chest. Lance yelled at him over the sound of fires being exchanged.

"Stay behind me! We need to get through the other corridor and back to the Lions!" Matt nodded.

Lance began advancing and darting to the left, Matt following close behind with Pidge. Five more drones were struck down but there was still a large number, and all of them were blasting right at the three of them.

"Move!" Lance yelled, urging Matt on to the corridor not but a few yards away. Matt broke into a sprint, charging for the hallway. Lance was right behind him, shield taking blasts aimed at him and the rebel.

In the midst of all the chaos, Matt realized that he was definitely grateful to have Lance at his back. He held the name sharpshooter better than anyone he'd ever seen and knew that without the Paladin's bravery he'd probably be dead by now.

While he thought this they weaved through the maze of halls, trying to find their way back to Red and Green. Pidge keened softly in Matt's arms at the jostling movements, burying her head in the cloth of his shirt. Matt pressed her further against him and murmured quietly as he ran, speaking reassurances and telling her that everything would be okay.

The quiet words of comfort still tumbled from Matt's lips until they skidded to a stop in front of two monstrous doors. Matt stood there for a moment, merely breathing and letting the relief and hope surge into his heart. The end was near; Pidge would be healed in the castle and they could put all this pain and worry behind them.

Matt watched as Lance strode to the doors and pried them open again. He turned back to the rebel, obvious relief painted on his face as his mouth stretched into a small smile. Matt smiled slightly in return, but it dropped after a moment. They had yet to escape, and though Matt was sure they would there was still that small voice in the back of his mind…

 _there is no hope,_ it said. _You were too weak to escape on your own, you cannot do it again; much less with a burden in your arms._

 _She is my burden to bear and I will do so willingly,_ he countered. That voice was poisonous, and he would not listen to it no matter how tempting it may be.

Strides fast and purposeful, Matt marched into the hangar with Lance not but an arm's length behind him. The Red and Green Lions were waiting, the latter letting out a low growl when they entered. Green stopped, though, when she caught sight of the small bundle in the freedom fighter's arms.

Matt was glad that the Lions were much more intelligent than they seemed. As he approached the Green Lion she opened her maw and let him enter, closing her mouth again as soon as he was safely inside with her Paladin. In the cockpit Matt sat in the pilot's chair, adjusting Pidge so that she was cradled in his lap with her left side to his chest. Tension hanging heavily in the air, Matt grabbed the controls and steered Green forward.

Lance's face suddenly popped up in the top right corner of his screen. He had determination set in his eyes, fierce and at the same time hopeful.

 _"_ _Let's get out of here. I'd rather not let the Galra lay a hand on Pidge ever again."_

A tiny smile twitched at his lips but Matt stayed solemn because he too did _not_ want those filthy creatures harming his sister for as long as he lived.

"Agreed. Time to go."

Instead of hacking into the system to open the hangar doors like they did on the first trip, Lance simply melted the doors, making an easy escape for the two mechanical felines.

They flew back into what was a full-blown war zone. Galra fighters were _everywhere_ , swarming the Blue and Yellow Lions as well as the castle. All three were taking serious damage, and Matt knew they had gotten out with hardly any time left to spare.

He dodged multiple blasts and sent his own, the Green Lion practically doing the work for him. He could _feel_ the anger coming from the vessel as she destroyed clusters of the enemy ships, and Matt was relieved that he was on Voltron's side and not against it.

Suddenly an image of Allura appeared, glitching and the sound scratchy. His heart fluttered for a moment at the sight of her, but Matt knew it was no time for his ridiculous romantic fantasies.

 _"_ _Thank the skies above! We must leave immediately, Blue cannot stand much more of this."_

An image of Hunk opened as well. _"Yellow can't take it either. We have to go. We got what we came for and-"_ a muffled explosion sounded and Hunk grunted. Matching with the visuals and the sound Matt saw five fighters ganging up on the Lion, firing in succession. The anger coming from Green seemed to intensify tenfold as the Lion did of her own will, attacking viciously. Matt let her do her work, watching with the ever-present anticipation hanging in the air.

Shiro's face unexpectedly came up as well, panic rising in his voice as he spoke.

 _"_ _Retreat! We've taken all we can tolerate. Retreat and bring your Lions in now!"_ No one replied because it was not needed. They had one task and they were going to complete it.

The four Lions swerved throughout the mayhem, sending attacks as they all sped toward their sanctuary. _Pidge's_ sanctuary.

The Blue Lion entered her hangar and the bay doors closed. One down and three to go. The Yellow Lion disappeared into safety in pursuit, her bay doors closing as well. Then the Red Lion.

Sweat trickled down Matt's face as he hurtled toward the castle. They were so close, they were almost there, just a few more seconds-

A sudden ray of purple light engulfed the Green Lion and she disappeared.

* * *

 **Wow, first chapter and I'm already leaving the readers hanging. Muahahaha!**

 **So, I did some research and found that heat stroke can do actually a lot of serious damage. It can temporarily or permanently affect vital organs such as the heart, lungs, kidneys, liver, and brain. So yeeeaah. Let's see how Pidge holds up…**

 **Opinions? Ideas? Constructive Criticism? I'd love to hear from you!**

 **An alert will let you guys kick some Galra butt, a review will let you do it with whichever Paladin Bayard you prefer. (Yes, I know, I'm kind of ripping off of what Mimbillia does, but she inspired me and I thought what she did was cute and I wanted to try it too.)**

 **And that is the end of this first chapter! I'll (hopefully) see you guys soon! ;D**


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N: Aaand I'm back, everybody! I'd like to personally thank bigtimedreamer101 and Gravtron1 for reviewing, and everyone else who favorited and followed this story. You guys are totally amazing; I can't believe I got all this over one chapter! :O**

 **And I'd just like to say that chapter three has been finished and chapter four will be underway in the next few days, so with a bit of luck, the next update will arrive soon. :D**

 **One last thing: I listened to the song 'The Midnight In Me' from the Legend of the Everfree Equestria Girls movie as I wrote/edited this, so I recommend listening to it as well. It sets the mood quiet nicely, if I do say so myself XD**

* * *

The bridge of the Galra warship was still for but a moment before the commander whipped around to stare at the weapons operator, fury being the only thing his eyes held.

"I said tractor beam! Not teleportation ray! _Tractor beam_!"

The other Galran swallowed nervously. Sweat trickled down his brow and he squirmed under the unrelenting gaze. "I-I apologize, commander. I am new to this squadron, and the controls for this vessel are different-"

"Save me your pathetic excuses," The commander growled, clenching his fists at his sides. "You shall be punished accordingly when our current matter is cleared. Is there a way to bring the Green Lion back?"

The weapons man's eyes widened. He shot a glance at his console then turned back to the higher ranking Galran.

"The- the teleportation ray is a very recent addition, sir. A prototype, really. There is no reverse effect to my knowledge and to the access my console has to the ray. Mistress Haggar may be working on one, but from what I have been told, it is not meant to be used in battle yet."

If the commander could look angrier and scarier, he did. The weapons man half expected for his head to spontaneously explode. His eye twitched and his clawed hands clenched tighter at his sides.

"You- you _utterly_ incompetent, dim-witted, backwater, _pathetic_ excuse for a weapons operator-"

"Sir, I-"

"Silence!" the commander yelled. He turned to the guards at the door. He pointed at the weapons man.

"Get this wretch out of my sight," he ordered.

The weapons man fought as the guards dragged him away, yelling desperately for a second chance. The commander snorted in disgust at the other's begging.

"Get me another weapons officer," he said.

* * *

The Green Lion was deposited in empty space, small stars dotting the area but no planets in sight.

Matt's body went slack as he stared out the view screen. His eyes widened and his hands loosened on the joysticks. He only stared for a few still seconds, not aware of anything around him or anything in any sense. It was the calm before the storm. But then panic overwhelmed the shock, and he was gripping the joysticks so tightly that his knuckles went almost completely white and sweat glistened on his forehead.

"No, no no no no, please no, please…" His voice was barely a whisper, and it shook. But the cockpit of the Lion was silent and that made it loud. Oh, so loud.

"Please, just let us go home, please, _please_ , we need to get home, I _have_ to get her _home_ -" Matt's voice rose and then broke, a large sob bursting free and shaking his body as he slumped against the back of the pilot's seat. He let go of the controls and brought his hands to his face, covering his eyes as if to hide from the fact that he was lost. So completely lost.

He had failed. The mission had failed because of him. If only he had been faster, if he had just focused- Pidge was going to die. She was going to die because her idiot of an older brother had gotten them stuck in the middle of scenic nowhere, an empty portion of the galaxy. Uninhabited. Katie, the bright, mischievous Green Paladin of Team Voltron wasn't going to make it, and it was because of him.

He was going to be responsible for his own sister's death.

Another sob escaped him and he buried his face deeper into his hands, tears spilling down his face as he found despair the only thing he could feel. His breath hitched and he wheezed, his frame shuddering as he coughed. His eyes stung and his heart ached, almost as though it would burst from his chest and run away to a place he could only guess.

The Green Lion rumbled and he swore that she could understand how he was suffering. That she understood his pain and his misery, the fact that his sister was practically condemned to death bringing anger at himself and mourning for the so cheery fifteen-year-old. She could feel those too, he was sure of it, and the Lion rumbled again as if to confirm his suspicions.

Fresh tears tumbled freely down his cheeks as Matt wiped away old ones, feeling incomplete.

He lightly hiccuped, bringing more salty drops, and looked down into his lap.

Pidge was curled up with her legs pulled up to her own chest, her arms resting limply upon them. Her head was resting on his chest, her eyes screwed shut and her breathing shallow and uneven.

A wave of emotions crashed into him and Matt brought a hand to his mouth, tears rushing down as yet another strong sob wracked his shoulders. She used to sit in his lap in the same fashion when she was younger, so much younger. Five, perhaps. Long before all this catastrophe.

Maybe he could just go back to those times. They were both innocent then, so blissfully ignorant of all the misery happening beyond the Milky Way. He had been happy, with his little sister right by his side. At least then they had been at peace.

Oh, how he missed the good old days…

 _"_ _Matt!"_

 _Matt looked up from his book, the ten-year-old searching for his five-year-old sister. Katie came barreling into the living room, bare feet slapping against the wood floor as she ran toward the sofa where Matt was perched._

 _"_ _Whoa, Katie, hold on-" Too late. Katie gleefully jumped onto the sofa and landed on Matt, his book dropping from his hands in surprise. She giggled and sat down on his lap, wrapping her arms around his waist, squishing her face into his side. She sighed contentedly and relaxed, keeping him in her hug._

 _Matt huffed. He didn't exactly love being tackled like a football player by his younger sister, but she didn't really know any better. He just accepted it, wrapping his arms around her in return and smiling slightly._

 _"_ _How was school, Katie?"_

 _Matt felt her tense and he went on alert, tightening his grip around her by instinct. She was a bit sensitive sometimes, and he didn't like it when kids messed with her._

 _She raised her head and looked at him, a sad frown on her face._

 _"_ _The other kids called me-" she stopped abruptly and propped her head against his side again, burying her face in the fabric of his tee-shirt._

 _Now she was really worrying him. What did those other kids dare call her?_

 _Matt squeezed her gently. "Come on, you can tell me. I promise I won't say anything to mom or dad."_

 _She shuddered and Matt realized that she had started crying. Oh, he was going to pound them all into the ground. They_ dare _make his sister_ cry, _and they were going to regret it. Every. Single. One of them._

 _For a ten-year-old Matt's voice was scarily hard, but he spoke quietly to her. "Katie, what did they call you?"_

 _Katie was silent for a few moments before she slowly lifted her head and looked at him. Her big eyes were red as tears wet her cheeks, and she shook slightly._

 _"_ _They… they said I was weird. Said I was crazy 'n stuff and ripped up my drawings." She whispered, eyes filling with tears and she buried her face in his shirt again, winding her short arms around him and holding on tightly._

 _Matt felt his blood boiling. She had spent hours on those blueprints, using white crayons on their dad's special blue paper to create the designs for three inventions that the two of them had thought up together. Their parents had been wonderfully impressed at the work of the ten and five-year-old team, their ages being the thing that made it surprising._

 _She had been so proud of her illustrations. He had sat with her while she did them too, and he had guided her on drawing some parts and had shared ideas with her. Despite that they were messy, being a five-year-old's work, Matt thought they looked wonderful. And those darned little weasels had_ ripped them up. _Oh, he was_ so _going to pound them. Kids don't go around messing with one of the Holt siblings without having to deal with the other. That's just how it worked._

 _Matt forced his anger down and pushed it into a corner for later. He kept one arm around his sister and with his other ran his fingers through her hair, a motion he had adapted to since he was about eight. Despite his inner emotions, he spoke slowly and comfortingly._

 _"_ _Hey, it's gonna be okay. They shouldn't have done that at all. They're mean and didn't know what they were saying, calling you all those nasty things. And they shouldn't have ripped up our blueprints, either. But we can make some new ones, right? You told me this morning you had an idea about adding a double motor to one of the panels."_

 _Katie numbly nodded, keeping her firm grip on Matt. He didn't mind._

 _"_ _Second graders are bullies," She mumbled, her tone taking a bitter edge._

 _Matt smiled softly. "It's not easy getting moved up two grades, is it?" Katie shook her head._

 _"_ _It may be hard now, but you'll do great, okay? You just have to ignore bullies and keep going. I think you'll get through." Katie held onto him more tightly but stayed silent._

 _Matt hesitated for a moment before plunging on. "Do you want me to take you to school? I could have a few words with these kids who've been messing with you…"_

 _Katie's head shot up and she stared at him with wide eyes._

 _"_ _You'd do that?"_

 _Matt grinned. "Sure would. 'Ya want me to?"_

 _Katie was smiling now, despite her tears, and she nodded vigorously. "Yes!" she said, giggling._

 _Matt grinned wider at that. He ruffled her hair, making her giggle again._

 _"_ _You wanna watch some TV? There's some sort of new cartoon playing on Nickelodeon, but it doesn't look too good. I kind of want to watch it just to see how bad it is." Matt said, grabbing the TV remote from the coffee table._

 _Katie laughed. "How bad?"_

 _Matt shrugged. "I'm not really sure. I heard some other kids saying it was super bad, but I can't decide until I see it."_

 _Turning on the TV, Matt began flipping through the channels to get to Nickelodeon. Katie, who was now smiling, wriggled around until she had her legs pulled to her small little chest, her arms wrapped around them as she rested her head against Matt's chest. smiling softly, Matt put one arm around her as he found the channel he was looking for and leaned back into the sofa, content that his little sister was happy again._

 _Oh, but he was still going to be having a couple of words with those kids._

Matt took a ragged breath as the nostalgia faded. Not completely; it still lingered but it was not nearly as strong as it could've been. But it just added to the pile of Matt's mental instability.

Despite the dark, grim circumstances, Matt laughed softly to himself as he cried. He had indeed spoken with Pidge's bullies, and, to the least, they were given a strong warning. One that they were told they'd only get once.

Matt hiccuped and wiped his eyes, hands trembling. He had to be strong for Katie, he had to find the loophole; a way out for her… And yet it was so hard. He'd been broken for a long time, and even when the rebels had found him he still felt as if he were missing something. He couldn't identify it then, but now he could recognize it plain as day: He had been missing his sister.

And now he had found her again, and he had felt whole. It was a wonderful feeling. Having someone he trusted with the utmost confidence right at his side. He had lost his dad, lost Shiro for some time too, and had left his mother and sister behind. But Pidge had flown out into the depths of space just to find _him_ , (And their father,) and she had succeeded. They were reunited, safe with the other.

In the midst of an intergalactic war.

Where Pidge had recently been tortured.

And now they were lost.

His stronger emotions threatened to take hold again and Matt forced them down with all of his willpower. He needed to focus.

It was then that something happened, practically out of the blue. Something was established between the rebel and Lion, in the middle of empty space, alone. Matt felt a sudden tug in his gut and then his world tilted for a moment, before stabilizing. And now he felt something different; something new.

Matt's brows furrowed and he shifted slightly, uncomfortable with the odd way he was now feeling. Normal, (Or as normal as he could be in those circumstances,) mainly, but a bit… weightless.

As if waiting for her cue, the Green Lion rumbled quietly, almost lovingly. Encouragingly. She was encouraging him.

Matt stole a glance at his sister and sucked in a breath, before shutting his eyes.

There was a small… presence in the back of his head, some sort of sense. He could reach it. Curious, he tapped into it.

Sudden images flashed through his head with terrifying speed, but Matt caught them and could make out what the Green Lion was doing for him.

The images stopped abruptly and there was nothing more, the sense again just a small thing in the back of his head.

Matt slowly opened his eyes. His hands still shook and he sighed heavily. He looked around him at the cockpit, and even with all the insanity whirling around him, the ghost of a smile touched his lips.

"Thank you." He whispered and looked back to his lap. Pidge's state didn't seem to have shifted for the better or worse, so Matt took to the optimistic view of things and saw it as a good turn.

He could help her, and he would. He was her brother and it was his job. And nothing was going to stop him.

* * *

 **And chapter two comes to a close! There are bits that I'm happy with, and some that I'm not. But either way, I hope you guys liked it!**

 **Opinions? Ideas? Constructive criticism? I'd to hear your thoughts! (As long as they're not flames. No flames please.)**

 **An alert/follow will let you join Matt and Pidge watching TV, a review will let you deal with the bullies yourself!**

 **I'll see you guys the next time around! ;D**

 **~erebororbust**


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N: Heh… hey, guys. Sorry for the whole two weeks and four days wait. Stuff happened, and chapter four is being a real pain.**

 **Anyway, welcome to chapter three! Just really quickly, I'd like to give a special thanks to SpiritFighter208, 2014, bigtimedreamer101, Gravtron1, Guest, and Serafinaster for reviewing, and all the new people who favorited/followed this! Every time when I open my email and see a Fanfiction notification, I get this really warm, fuzzy feeling inside. You guys make my day!**

 **Warning: This chapter will contain some feels here in the first segment. But if I'm being honest, I can't really tell what's feels when it comes to MY writing. So is it feels? I don't really have a clue.**

 **Second Warning: This chapter deals with treating wounds. I'm being honest again; I know next to nothing about medical treatment. I get all of my information from searching the internet; Google being my main source of help. So really, since I don't know much, it probably won't be very graphic or icky. If anything is inaccurate, please, say so in a review!**

 **Anyway, no more talking! Let's get going!**

* * *

Shiro's breath hitched and his eyes widened as the Green Lion was surrounded by purple light, disappearing instantly. Panic crashed into him and he whipped around, locking eyes with Coran.

"Bring them back! We have to bring them back!" He said frantically.

The castle suddenly shook dangerously. Shiro stumbled, grabbing onto a console nearby. He looked up at the viewscreen, a small part of him hoping that the Green Lion would be there. Instead, dozens of fighters were ganging up on them, a relentless shower of blasts raining upon the castle.

"The shields are down to thirty percent! We can't handle this anymore!" Coran shouted over the alarm.

Shiro's heart clenched up and he could hardly move, only able to just stand there tersely. He watched dazedly as Coran swung the castle around and opened a wormhole, hurtling toward it at full speed as the fighters zoomed after them.

The wormhole closed with just seconds to spare. Shiro's stomach lurched as it always did when they entered the tunnel, but he hardly noticed. He felt weak, his hands trembling slightly as he gripped the console. His knees buckled and he sank to the ground, a small sound of despair escaping him.

They were gone. They were both gone. Matt and Pidge. They _vanished_.

Shiro's vision was blurry as tears began falling, but couldn't bring himself to care. He stared dejectedly at the floor, his arms hanging limply at his sides.

He felt a hand on his arm and he looked over to see Coran sitting next to him, sympathy and grief shining brightly in the Altean's eyes. Shiro tried to smile at the kind gesture but failed; it came out as a pained grimace. Coran only squeezed his arm gently and nodded, before leaning his head against the console and stared off into the distance.

They sat in silence that way for a few minutes. The doors then hissed open and in rushed Lance, Hunk, and Allura.

The three of them looked wild and panicked, tension lining their figures. Shiro watched as the Yellow, Blue, and Red Paladins scanned the Bridge hurriedly. Lance looked at Shiro and stepped toward him, his hands clenching together at his sides.

"Where are they? Why isn't the Green Lion in her hangar?"

There was so much raw desperation and confusion and such plain _fear_ in Lance's eyes that it hurt. Shiro pressed his lips into a thin line to keep a sob from escaping.

"Shiro? Where _are_ they?" Two tears slid down the Black Paladin's cheeks. He didn't want to have to say this, he so genuinely _didn't_.

"Shiro…?" Lance's voice was soft and Shiro swore he could _feel_ his heart cracking.

"They disappeared. The Galra fired some sort of laser and they were _gone_." There was a tremor in his voice. More tears came faster now and Shiro hugged his legs to his chest, absently feeling like a young child again.

He dared to look up and wished he hadn't. Lance looked as if someone had punched him in the stomach. His eyes were wide and disbelieving; beginning to glisten with unshed tears. Allura was silent but her body was rigid. Hunk had a hand covering his face, and Shiro heard the muffled sobs that came from the Paladin. It hurt to hear that. It _hurt_.

He ached to turn the castle around and give the Galra cruiser a piece of his mind. He wanted so _badly_ for everything to work out for once for them, that maybe, just _maybe_ , they could go a full day without incident.

 _You're not lucky enough for that. You know you're not. Just accept it already._

Shiro watched as Allura stepped up to the main controls and rested her palms on the pedestals. She gazed ahead, her eyes seeming to refuse to show one clear emotion.

Hunk drifted to him and Coran and lowered himself to the floor, setting his helmet aside. Coran leaned over and put an arm around Hunk's shoulders; the Yellow Paladin accepting the touch and resting his head on the older man's shoulder as he continued to weep.

Shiro glanced up and around him and saw Lance standing in the same place. He was staring at Pidge's chair, a hand covering his mouth. His other hand hung at his side, his head lowered some.

With a grunt Shiro pushed himself up from his position, his limbs still tingling a bit from the adrenaline he had felt perhaps twenty minutes before. He moved across the bridge to Lance's side, glancing at Pidge's chair.

 _Such a smart kid…_

"Lance," He murmured, resting his hand on the teenager's shoulder. The response he got was one he did not expect. Lance turned on his heel and pulled Shiro into a crushing embrace, his body slumping as he shuddered. Shiro stood stunned for a brief second before returning the hug, wrapping his arms around Lance and relaxing just the tiniest bit. He felt that as much as Lance needed the reassuring contact, he needed it too.

Shiro felt his shirt dampen a bit as Lance began to tremble, his grip loosening as he cried.

"Shh…" He whispered, tightening his hold on Lance. He hardly caught what the teenager had said, but all the while he still did.

"It- it's my fault."

"No!" Shiro exclaimed, pushing Lance back so he could look him in the eye.

"No," he said again, quietly. "It's not your fault. If it's anyone's fault it's mine. If I had been more careful then Pidge wouldn't have gotten captured in the first place and none of this would've happened." Shiro's voice tightened and he looked at his feet, an onslaught of emotions waging war in his brain.

He had been so _stupid_! During all of the missions they had set off on, Shiro had _always_ been afraid that one of his friends might be captured. But out of everyone, it had to be _Pidge_ …

"It's nobody's fault," Allura spoke up, coming to Shiro's side and looking meaningfully at him. He dimly realized that Hunk and Coran had moved too, Coran's arm still slung around Hunk's shoulders in a comforting way.

"The Galra snuck up on us unexpectedly and we weren't prepared. Their objective was to obtain a Paladin, not a Lion. They succeeded. We can't blame ourselves but those who have committed the wrong."

Shiro felt anger slowly boiling up in him and he couldn't really figure out why.

"And how are we supposed to find them? For all we know they could be halfway across the universe!" He said, voice rising.

Lance made a strangled noise in between a moan and a wail.

Allura's expression was dark. "I don't know. We're currently heading for a small system called the Ant'ixox system. It's about half a light-year from our previous spot. There I can send out some sweep scans and see if we can catch their signature."

"When are we going to be arriving?" Shiro asked.

"A few vargas. I can't send them while in a wormhole tunnel; we have to be in one solid place to do it."

"That doesn't help us." Shiro snapped, clenching his fists. He shut his eyes and took a deep breath before opening them again and looking back at Allura. "Sorry. Just with everything that's happened…"

Allura nodded somberly, fidgeting with her hands.

The group fell into a saddened quiet. There was nothing to do but think, and Shiro hated that idea. Thinking too much lead him to so many what-ifs, and he didn't like what his imagination worked up.

So he thought about the happy moments. He thought about Matt and his horrible habit of rambling, of Pidge and her quirky smile as she tapped away at her laptop. He thought about all the times Pidge had convinced him to pull a master prank on Lance as payback for something. He thought about the hilarious way that Matt had constantly tapped his fingers on his console, driving his father up the wall.

Shiro smiled softly at the fond memories. The Holt siblings were spectacular in his eyes. He trusted both of them with his life and knew that they were perfectly capable of protecting themselves in battle. They were fighters, strong to the core.

But the image of the two of them being in the middle of unknown space, alone…

No. He wasn't going to abandon them. He'd find them and he'd bring them back.

He had to.

* * *

Pidge stirred and moaned, grabbing feebly at the fabric of Matt's shirt. Matt looked down at her and swallowed worriedly. She needed medical attention desperately, but he was no doctor and he didn't have any supplies…

The Green Lion rumbled. Surprised that he could somehow understand what the Lion was trying to explain to him, Matt shifted Pidge oh-so-very carefully from his lap to his arms. Standing, Matt almost crashed to the ground as his legs slowly woke up. Muttering, he moved to the back of the cockpit, trusting the Lion to steer. There on the left wall, he found a glowing green button. Avoiding hurting Pidge even more, Matt pressed the button and felt impressed as a large panel in the wall unfolded into a medical bed.

Gently, Matt laid Pidge down onto the cot. He sighed and brushed a few strands of hair out of her eyes. His head tilted downward, he watched her simply _breathe_.

He had always hated seeing her injured, whether it was a bee sting or a scraped up knee. Seeing her sick was even worse because with injuries he could at least help her to a certain extent. But with illnesses, he could only stand and watch as she struggled.

Now, to his horrified dismay, she was injured _and_ sick. She was highly feverish and had who knows what internal damage thanks to those thrice accursed Galra.

Matt pinched his nose and let out another sigh. He needed to keep his cool if he were to help Pidge win this fight. Raising his head, he looked around for some indication from Green, as if to say, _'Medical supplies right here! Come and get 'em!'_

The Green Lion rumbled again, eager to soothe her Paladin's pain. Matt looked at the ceiling and raised a brow. After a second he looked at Pidge, discomfort knawing at the back of his head. He didn't want to leave her alone, even for the shortest of minutes. He sighed and a small part of him said he'd regret this choice, that something would happen, but Matt ignored it.

"I'll be right back. Don't go anywhere." He murmured, but Pidge remained unresponsive. Leaving the cockpit, Matt maneuvered through the Lion until he found a tiny room. There were large containers looking like coolers up against the walls. Opening one, he peered inside. It was filled to the brim with bottles and boxes and packages of all sorts, ready to be of use. Matt whistled softly at the large amount.

Looking through the contents of each container, Matt gathered the supplies he expected he would need. Bandages and disinfectant were among the things he picked, along with painkillers and cold compresses.

With his arms full and impatience burning in his chest, Matt made his way back to the cockpit. Pidge was in the same position as when he left, unmoved save for the uneven rise and fall of her breathing. Matt frowned. Walking back a fantasy of a sort had risen in his mind that when he returned, Pidge would be awake and perhaps even lucid. That didn't appear to be happening soon.

Matt shook his head and set his supplies on the bed beside Pidge. Looking her over with growing worry, he set to work tending to her fever. Brushing some of her hair out of the way, he laid a damp cloth on her forehead, along with her neck and collarbone.

Then, he turned his focus to the cuts and slashes crisscrossing her abdomen. Grabbing a moistened cloth, Matt dabbed gently at the dried blood coating one of the cuts. Pidge suddenly jerked and cried out, her left arm swinging up, accidentally hitting him in the nose and knocking him back a step.

His nose stung and Matt brought a hand to it. It came back red. He huffed and moved back to Pidge's side and tried to soothe her. She quieted after a minute, her breathing labored. Matt bit his lip and picked up the cloth again, being as gentle as humanly possible when he brought it to the cut. Pidge, this time, didn't react and Matt let out a breath of relief.

Being delicate, Matt cleaned away all of the dried blood. It sickened him while he worked; to have to see so much of it. It was his _sister's_ blood, of all people. He didn't want it on his hands in any situation.

With the wounds clean, Matt applied disinfectant and wrapped the cuts securely. Then, with a sigh, he shifted his gaze to her mangled right arm. It was obvious that her shoulder was dislocated, and the position her arm was in indicated some sort of break or fracture. How was he going to fix that? He hardly knew anything about medical treatment as it is.

With a tired sigh, Matt grabbed another roll of bandages and set to wrap the part of her arm with the break. He did so tightly, making sure that it would keep things still until he could get her _real_ help.

With that job finished, Matt looked to the last matters. The bruises under her eyes worried him, but bruises would fade with time and usually didn't cause anything serious. At least, that's what he hoped.

The burns on her chin didn't look too severe. They were red and a bit swollen, as to be expected, but didn't show any signs of being second or third-degree. With another bite of his lip, Matt put a bit of disinfectant on them and laid a damp cloth over the wounds.

Looking over his handiwork, Matt's gaze picked out the bruises on Pidge's neck. He froze, staring at them.

He had never thought about what had really happened when she was their prisoner. The rescue and the escape had taken over his mindset, and then suddenly they were somewhere else, in a random section of space…

She had wounds. She could've received them anywhere, in any way, by anyone…

The arena.

 _No. No, no no!_

They threw her into the arena. Used her as _entertainment_ to satisfy their disgusting craving for bloodshed.

 _No! Stop it! That's not what happened! You don't know what went on; you're assuming things!_

The Druids. The creatures that were whispered about among the prisoners and arena fighters. The _things_ that poked and prodded and strapped people to tables to _experiment_ on them.

It was them. He knew it; it was them.

They _choked_ her. They had let his little sister dangle from their hands and _choked_ her, as the air was closed off from her lungs, as she struggled and kicked and tried to get free-

Matt let out a scream of anger and swung his fist at the wall. A jarring pain rippled up his arm as his fist made contact, but he didn't even register it. In his mind's eye, a Druid screeched and dropped to the ground as it clutched its face. A thin smile holding no mirth crept onto his lips.

The smile dropped after a few seconds and he moaned, running a hand through his hair. The sudden flare of anger ebbed away to a dull throb. After everything that had happened, he was so weary. Every inch of him seemed to ache and his whole body felt heavy.

With a tired groan, Matt lowered himself to the floor, sitting against the wall that folded into Pidge's cot. He rubbed the bridge of his nose and shut his eyes.

Distantly, he heard the Green Lion rumble softly. A warmth was beginning creeping through his limbs and fill him, and Matt could somehow tell that the Lion was doing him a favor. He was finally going to get some rest. An instinct did try to fight it off, telling him that he needed to get up, he needed to take care of Pidge, make sure nothing happened to her. He was so comfortable though, and he could feel the Green Lion supporting him. Maybe he could just sleep for a few minutes, then he would help Pidge some more…

Matt gave away to the warmth and fell asleep.

* * *

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 **An alert/follow will let you comfort Shiro, but a REVIEW will let you hug Lance!**

 **But really guys, reviews are one of the main drives that keep me writing this. Reviews, the impatience to get to a certain scene, and the guilt of not posting in what feels like FOREVER. So if you want to see the next chapter out soon, review! It doesn't even have to be very long. Whether it's only a couple of sentences or a long ramble, I'll be thankful for it. :)**

 **I'll see you guys next time! ;D**


	4. Chapter 4

**The long awaited chapter four is here, everybody!**

 **I really appreciate how patient all of you guys have been with me. This chapter has been a thorn in my side for a while, and I have finally gotten to finish it. HOWEVER, I do need to say that there will be a varying hiatus for chapter five. I want to get maybe chapters 6/7/8 done before I post the next chapter.**

 **Special thanks to Guest, bigtimedreamer101, Gravtron1, Fandomcraz, Saralei Nighthaven, and Disotterly conduct (sorry there's no period, Fanfiction is annoying,) for reviewing, and of course all of the other people who favorited and followed this!**

 **Anyway, let's get going!**

* * *

When the darkness parted, Matt tried to hold onto it. He didn't want it to leave yet; he liked the peaceful bliss that filled him. It was warm and light, something that settled gently around him and didn't feel like a heavy weight riding on his shoulders. But it slipped away from him, and with a tug in his gut, he was thrown back into consciousness.

Matt groaned and his eyes flitted open, only for him to quickly shut them again as the light momentarily blinded him. After a moment, he opened them once more and shook his head a bit as his vision slowly adapted to the new lighting. Blearily, he took in his surroundings.

He was in the Green Lion's cockpit, sitting up against a wall on the floor. The green lights bathing the room were both harsh and soft at the same time. Stars whizzed by outside the viewscreen. Everything was still and quiet.

For a few, carefree seconds, Matt couldn't remember a single thing. Then, in a sudden wave, it all came crashing back.

 _Rescue. Alone. Panic._

With a jerk, Matt got to his feet and stumbled over to the pilot's seat, his sore muscles screaming at him at the sudden movements. He leaned over the chair as his eyes scanned the console. They practically popped out when he found what he was looking for.

He had been asleep for _three hours_.

He took a step back from the console in disbelief. He _couldn't_ have been asleep for three hours. That was three hours wasted; three hours that could've been spent looking for a planet to touch down on. Wasted on him not being strong enough to stay awake for his sister.

Sister.

 _Pidge_.

Matt backpedaled and spun around, eyes searching desperately for his little sister. Relief flooded him when he saw the cot, with Pidge still lying there.

Safe. She was safe. That was all that mattered.

Moving to stand at Pidge's side, Matt took in her flushed face and clammy skin with a sinking stomach. He hurriedly removed the cloth he had used in the hours past and replaced them, smoothing them out on her forehead, neck, and collarbone. With a quick flash of remembrance, he changed the dressings on her other wounds, specifically the cuts on her abdomen.

After another few moments, the work was done. Putting the used bandages aside, Matt hovered, watching. She was still except for the rise and fall of her chest. Her pale face stood out drastically from the muted colors she was wearing, making her seem like a ghost.

Swallowing, Matt hesitantly took her left hand in his and squeezed it gently. Her hand was cold, but nonetheless, he held onto her.

He wondered what would happen when she eventually woke up. If she'd be lucid or if she would mistake him for someone else in a dazed state. If she'd be scared when she sees someone near her or if she'd be happy to have him with her. She'd been through so much, Matt half expected for her to be scared. She had been _tortured_. Deliberately hurt by people who enjoyed watching her writhe in agony.

She was _fifteen_. Fifteen-year-old girls shouldn't be worrying about ever seeing their older brothers again or expecting enemies around every corner. They were supposed to be gossiping about who liked who at school and doing girly-girl stuff. Pidge, however, never showed interest in that sort of thing. She was daring. She liked adventure. Maybe a little too much. Because she was now stuck in this mess.

Matt groaned and shut his eyes, trying to fight off an oncoming headache. His grip loosened in her hand.

He missed her. Crap, she was right there and yet he missed her. He missed the quirky, humorous little sister that hardly ever seemed to be down in the dumps. He missed the long rants and the excited look she'd get when she explained a new theory to him.

"I hate this," He whispered, opening his eyes to look at his sister remorsefully.

"I hate that every day there's a chance that someone won't come back, that every day I have to worry that _you_ won't come back when you go out there."

With difficulty, he swallowed past the lump in his throat. He shut his eyes again and bowed his head slightly as he felt familiar prickling sensation.

 _No. You can't cry. Not again._

"This… this is war, Katie. This is _war_ … people are dying, and if we don't win this we're _all_ going to die. I - I can't let you die. I just got you back after a _year_ and I can't lose you again, okay? Don't leave me here by myself. I - I don't want to be alone." A shiver ran down Matt's spine.

"If I was alone here… what would I do? How would I get back? This is your Lion, not mine. I don't… I don't know how to keep going without you. You're my _little sister_ , Katie. You weren't there… I only made it because of Shiro and then the rebels. They were the ones holding me up. If they hadn't been there, taking your place… I'd be dead. Long dead. I don't want to die, Katie. I don't want you or me to die and I just want to go _home_."

Despite his efforts, a tear still slid down his cheek. He didn't care very much anymore. His eyes opened again and drifted to the pale, fever-flushed girl on the cot. He squeezed her hand tightly.

"Say something. Please." Matt's voice was a whisper. A plead.

Silence answered. Another tear fell.

"Please. Please, just a word. _Say something_." A third tear. Four. Five.

"Please!" The broken cry hung heavily in the quiet. The tears came faster now and the soft pitter-patter of them falling to the ground was the only disturbance in the agonizing stillness.

Matt stood there, cheeks wet and head beginning to spin. What if she never woke up? He could scream his lungs out, begging her, pleading her, demanding her to _wake up_ and _say something_ , and she'd just lie there, motionless except for her breathing…

He placed his other hand on top of hers, a silent request.

 _Wake up._

Another shiver ran through him and his eyes flitted close. He rocked back on his heels, his lips quivering.

 _I don't want to be alone anymore. I don't want to be incomplete. Siblings aren't siblings if they aren't together. I've lost you twice. I can't lose you a third time. Just please, please come back, I swear I'll be a better brother, please, just please-_

A whimper reached his ears.

Matt's head snapped up in an instant. His breath caught.

Pidge's eyes were opened just a crack. They were glassy and unfocused, and her eyebrows were scrunched together. Thick beads of sweat lined her forehead.

"Pidge!" Matt hastily stepped closer to the cot, his grip on her hand tightening.

 _She's awake, she's awake, oh sweet quiznak she's awake! We're not gonna die, I'll get her home, she's awake-_

Pidge's eyes widened to the size of saucers and suddenly she jerked her hand away, giving a small cry. She scrambled away from him, pushing herself against the wall. She moved her right arm to prop herself up.

A sickening grating sound emitted as bone shifted against bone. Any color that was left in Pidge's face drained away and she opened her mouth in a silent scream.

Until that moment Matt had been momentarily stunned. Now, he snapped back to reality. He leaned forward and wrapped one arm around her back and one around her head and lowered her onto the cot again.

Pidge's breaths came in gasps that quickly became shuddering sobs. She leaned her head into the crook of his arm and cried, undecipherable murmurings among the tears.

Matt's own breath hitched a bit. He stood there for a few seconds, watching as his little sister sobbed into his arm. Unsteadily, he shifted himself to sit on the edge of the cot above Pidge's head. Slipping his arm out from under her, he gently raised her head and rested it on his leg.

Pidge gave a small whimper, though she didn't try to move. Her features tightened in what was all too recognizable as pain.

"Shh, it's okay, it's okay…" He murmured. He reached down and tenderly cupped her chin in his hand, brushing away some of her tears with his thumb. She leaned into the touch, so Matt didn't let go. He watched as her breaths slowly began to even out and her crying became quieter.

He wished this hadn't had happened. The Kerberos mission, being captured by the Galra, being rescued by the rebels. All of it. He just wanted to be home for the first time in what felt like _forever_ , with his entire family around him, no one missing or getting tortured…

Matt exhaled, long and tired. He looked back to his little sister and jerked a little in surprise when he saw that her eyes were half open and she was focusing on him.

"Matt…?" Pidge muttered, her eyes narrowing.

Matt's heart soared. He smiled softly and lightly rubbed his thumb across her cheek. "Good to see you awake. You worried me."

Pidge grinned faintly at that. Matt's heart soared even higher.

"'N-nothin to worry about. I'm fine." And then Matt's heart divebombed straight into his stomach and exploded. His mouth tugged into a frown.

"No. No, you're not fine. You got _captured_ by the _Galra_ , Pidge, they _tortured_ you, you were unconscious and bleeding and just…" His voice got quieter with each word. He could feel the tears gathering in his eyes again and he shook his head, looking down into her eyes remorsefully.

Pidge looked right back at him, her eyes soft despite them also being glassy and her body burning with fever. She smiled at him, warm and loving and just so… _Katie_.

"It wasn't that bad. I knew you and the others would come and get me. Besides, I'm here now, right?" She spoke as if trying to soothe a small child.

Matt smiled weakly. Pidge's eyebrows lifted, her smile taking on a mischevious factor to it.

"Hey, where's the big, tough older brother that's around all the time? I'm starting to miss him."

Matt chuckled a bit. "He's here, don't worry. Just trying to recover from seeing his little sister in such a state." Pidge laughed a little too.

"Right, that reminds me," Matt's tone became serious. "Your right arm's broken, okay? So don't try to move it."

Pidge grimaced. "Yeah, I think I noticed."

Matt gave a wry smile. "Actually, I wouldn't try moving pretty much at all. You've got some bad cuts on your abdomen, too." Pidge sighed. she looked as if she wanted to nod her head but she settled for a tired, "Okay."

The two lapsed into a steady quiet. Some of the fears in Matt's mind had been nullified now that Pidge was awake, and for the first time in a while, he felt at peace.

They were both safe. Away from the Galra. Yes, lost, but safe. They could find a planet. Recuperate. Heal, in Pidge's case. Locate Voltron. They could get home. They would. He'd make sure of it.

"I feel like crap," Pidge's voice jerked Matt out of his thoughts. He looked back to her. She was sweating again and her eyes had a hint of delirium in them. Matt mentally cursed and reached for a new cloth.

"Just lie still. I'm doing what I can to keep your fever down, but I'm not a doctor whatsoever and even though we need one at the moment, I'm not sure how long it's going to be before we find a suitable planet to land on." Setting the old fever-warm cloth with the others, Matt laid the fresh one on her forehead. He shot a glance over his shoulder. The viewscreen showed empty space with occasional stars whizzing by.

"Now that I think about it, I don't know how long it's going to be before we find _any_ planets," He muttered. Pidge said nothing but shuddered and closed her eyes, whispering something undecipherable under her breath.

Matt exhaled tiredly and shifted, rubbing the back of his neck with one of his hands before cracking his knuckles. He rested a hand on Pidge's head and let the other fall into his lap. Slowly, he allowed his gaze wander.

The cockpit of the Green Lion was a good size. Not huge, but not tiny. There was enough room for maybe, four, five people to stand in it with still some space to spare. The lighting never seemed to be too overbearing or too dim. Matt liked that. It was comfortable in there. It seemed like a quiet place he could get work done in.

His gaze found the viewscreen. Distant stars. The dark, empty void of space. No planets. No civilization. Nothing. They were still lost out in the middle of nowhere.

Matt turned back to look at his sister. Her eyes were shut. She was pale and sweating. Her eyebrows were scrunched together and her good hand was clenched into a tight fist. She was hurt. She had been hurt so much. But she was alive. Still alive.

"I was so scared for you." The words tumbled out before Matt could give his consent. Pidge's eyes opened slowly and she looked up at him. "You didn't need to be."

Matt's jaw hardened. "Pidge, I know what it's like in there. I've seen people, _innocent_ people get dragged away by guards for who knows what kind of torment. I've been in the arena, had to fight some of my own _fellow prisoners_ for those monster's entertainment. Do you know what it's like to have people yelling at you to slit a _young boy's throat_?"

Pidge inhaled sharply. Her voice was quiet. "No."

Matt exhaled, slowly and deeply. He began to run his fingers through her hair. His tone softened. "I never wanted you to go through that. I never, on my very soul, wanted you to have to go through anything even remotely close to what I did. If I could've stopped all of this from the very beginning I swear I-"

The Green Lion suddenly jolted drastically to the side. Pidge jerked and almost fell off the cot. She cried out, clutching her bad arm with her good one. Matt yelped in surprise and hastily helped her back further onto the cot. Her breaths were short and uneven. Matt hesitated for a moment before whipping around and dashing to the controls.

Matt quickly sat down and grabbed the joysticks. The Green Lion growled slightly. He could feel the concern coming from her.

"Did something hit us?" Pidge called from the cot. Matt accessed the scanner and activated it. After a moment a popup appeared with the results. His brow furrowed as he read it. He turned to look at Pidge.

"An… asteroid. An asteroid hit us. But I don't understand how one could just come out of the middle of nowhere, they're usually found in asteroid b-" Matt looked back at the viewscreen. His words died on his lips when he saw what they were beginning to get close to.

"Asteroid belt," Matt whispered.

* * *

 **DA DA DAAAA! There you have it! The end of chapter four.**

 **An alert/follow will let you help Matt cope with his issues, and a follow will let you hug him and squish his lil cinnamon roll face.**

 **I'll see you all next time! ;3**

 **~erebororbust~**

 **PS- Season 6 was nuts, wasn't it?**


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